You're right to point out that I should have thrown in some further qualification (it's too early to make definitive statements about long-term consequences).

Apparently, there was some significant recovery of lung damage in the aftermath of the 2002 SARS-CoV-1 outbreak (Pulmonary interstitial damage and functional decline caused by SARS mostly recovered, with a greater extent of recovery within 2 years after rehabilitation. [1])

This doesn't change the fact that this has to be accounted for if you want to play the numbers game.

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41413-020-0084-5